Former HHS standout Jarrar signs with Owens Express

2011 Times-News POY gets picked up by college coach

Former Hendersonville standout Ahmad Jarrar (8) takes the ball upfield during the 2011 1-A state semifinal match at Hendersonville.

PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMES-NEWS

By Brittany JacksonTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 9:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 9:31 p.m.

Less than a year after graduating from Hendersonville where he led a stellar career complete with two state soccer titles and one runner-up finish, Ahmad Jarrar will be continuing his soccer career at the collegiate level.

After moving to Ohio to live with his brother, Jarrar wasn't scouted and didn't have the typical college athlete story. His story is better.

He was playing a pickup game on the campus of Owens Community College in Ohio, and the head men's soccer coach happened upon the game — and noticed Jarrar immediately.

"I've been doing this for over 30 years coaching and right away, after about five minutes (watching him), you really notice him," said Art Johnson, head men's soccer coach at Owens, of Jarrar in a press release last week.

Johnson led the Owens Express to the program's first conference title last season after going 14-6-1.

Jarrar signed to play with Owens and will join the soccer team for the 2013 fall season as a freshman.

"It's an awesome story because a coach just happened to see a kid playing a pickup game one day. It wasn't even someone that he was scouting," said Hendersonville boys soccer coach Freddy Oviedo.

"He went to play with some friends there at the college in a pickup game and the coach just saw him. Ahmad stood out to him, and he asked him what he was doing and how old he was, and from there it happened very quickly. Within a month he got him to sign with them and it's pretty awesome. I'm glad he's going back to school and gets to play soccer again."

The three-time all-Western Highlands Conference and all-region selection, and two-time all-state player was best known in high school for his prowess in the midfield. He became one of the area's most dominant players in 2011, his senior season, and was named the 2011 Times-News Player of the Year.

The 6-3 standout was the Bearcats' second-leading scorer his sophomore season (29 goals, 10 assists) and second in scoring and first in assists his junior year (16 goals, 21 assists) before taking the lead his senior season when he scored 20 goals and had 21 assists.

Jarrar had been getting back into shape in Ohio while working odd jobs and trying to find a college where he could continue his education.

"The coach contacted me right away about three or four weeks ago; he knew everything about Ahmad that he could find on the Internet. I told him, he's definitely college material but it just didn't work out right after high school," Oviedo said. "It makes me feel like he's grown up and he's taking responsibility. When I talked to him I told him, ‘There will always be hardships in your life but you've got to rise above them and do what's best for you.'"

It turns out that getting a free education while getting to continue to play soccer is what's best for Jarrar — and what's best for the Owens Express soccer team, too.

"He's a very highly-skilled player, but he's very unselfish. He's a good mix of a goal scorer, but also a good set-up man. So he brings a lot of balance to the game, a lot of balance to the field, when he's out there," Johnson said.

"You notice him right away, not just because of his size but his talent level. Players like that you might see once every five years or so. He's very impressive."

<p>Less than a year after graduating from Hendersonville where he led a stellar career complete with two state soccer titles and one runner-up finish, Ahmad Jarrar will be continuing his soccer career at the collegiate level. </p><p>After moving to Ohio to live with his brother, Jarrar wasn't scouted and didn't have the typical college athlete story. His story is better. </p><p>He was playing a pickup game on the campus of Owens Community College in Ohio, and the head men's soccer coach happened upon the game — and noticed Jarrar immediately. </p><p>"I've been doing this for over 30 years coaching and right away, after about five minutes (watching him), you really notice him," said Art Johnson, head men's soccer coach at Owens, of Jarrar in a press release last week. </p><p>Johnson led the Owens Express to the program's first conference title last season after going 14-6-1. </p><p>Jarrar signed to play with Owens and will join the soccer team for the 2013 fall season as a freshman. </p><p>"It's an awesome story because a coach just happened to see a kid playing a pickup game one day. It wasn't even someone that he was scouting," said Hendersonville boys soccer coach Freddy Oviedo. </p><p>"He went to play with some friends there at the college in a pickup game and the coach just saw him. Ahmad stood out to him, and he asked him what he was doing and how old he was, and from there it happened very quickly. Within a month he got him to sign with them and it's pretty awesome. I'm glad he's going back to school and gets to play soccer again." </p><p>The three-time all-Western Highlands Conference and all-region selection, and two-time all-state player was best known in high school for his prowess in the midfield. He became one of the area's most dominant players in 2011, his senior season, and was named the 2011 Times-News Player of the Year. </p><p>The 6-3 standout was the Bearcats' second-leading scorer his sophomore season (29 goals, 10 assists) and second in scoring and first in assists his junior year (16 goals, 21 assists) before taking the lead his senior season when he scored 20 goals and had 21 assists. </p><p>Jarrar had been getting back into shape in Ohio while working odd jobs and trying to find a college where he could continue his education. </p><p>"The coach contacted me right away about three or four weeks ago; he knew everything about Ahmad that he could find on the Internet. I told him, he's definitely college material but it just didn't work out right after high school," Oviedo said. "It makes me feel like he's grown up and he's taking responsibility. When I talked to him I told him, 'There will always be hardships in your life but you've got to rise above them and do what's best for you.'"</p><p>It turns out that getting a free education while getting to continue to play soccer is what's best for Jarrar — and what's best for the Owens Express soccer team, too. </p><p>"He's a very highly-skilled player, but he's very unselfish. He's a good mix of a goal scorer, but also a good set-up man. So he brings a lot of balance to the game, a lot of balance to the field, when he's out there," Johnson said. </p><p>"You notice him right away, not just because of his size but his talent level. Players like that you might see once every five years or so. He's very impressive."</p>